How Not To Make Mom Friends
This story goes out to any new parents struggling to make connections and feel like themselves again. Lonely and isolated at home with an eight week old baby, I desperately longed for companionship with people in the same season of life. Instead of continuing to perfect my cyberstalker skills on Facebook, I convinced myself I…
Postpartum Sleep Deprivation
Four days and one unexpected c-section later we were discharged and on our way home at last. I could no longer lean on the quiet protection of the hospital. Nurses would not be checking on me periodically. Meals would not be brought to me on a schedule. Ready or not I was now a Mom…
Building Confidence in Ourselves as Mothers
I was invited by Kylie Kelly of the “This Mama Means Business” podcast, to talk about building confidence in ourselves as mothers. It was a great experience, and I hope you’ll take a listen here. Building Confidence In Ourselves As Mothers Podcast The ideas I share below are based on my own experiences as mother…
Bethenny’s Baby Nurse
Believe it or not, I first learned what a baby nurse does on a Bravo TV show. Long before I became a doula, I was a “Real Housewives of NYC” fan. Oh, the gloriously trashy and mindless entertainment! When I watched this faux-reality series, the characters included Countess Luann de Lesseps and Bethenny Frankel. At…
Looking for a Baby Nurse?
Looking for a baby nurse to help you after the baby is born? I recently spoke to a grandmother-to-be. She called in looking for a “baby nurse” to help her expecting daughter after her baby arrives. “When I was a young woman in New York city” she told me, “people with newborns would hire a…
Healing Damaged Nipples
Breastfeeding should never hurt. Breastfeeding should never hurt, but that doesn’t mean it actually never does. How can you heal damaged, cracked and bleeding nipples? Fix That Latch! First, you’ll need to take corrective measures to stop the damage from reoccurring. This almost always means encouraging your baby to latch more deeply. In a shallow…
Overnight Postpartum Doula Care: A Night With Our Doulas (updated July 2022)
Overnight Newborn Care is sometimes a new concept. Tired parents often approach us and ask: “what does a postpartum doula do overnight to care for their family while they sleep?” It almost sounds too good to be true! Rest assured, this exists and works beautifully. The role of a postpartum doula is so varied from…
Caring for Baby After a C-Section
Healing from a c-section can sometimes be overwhelming. You, a warrior, just had major surgery. Now you not only have to care for yourself, you have to care for your baby! This is a challenge that is sometimes forgotten. Once you’ve left the hospital, how can you easily care for your newborn? First of all,…
Why Is Postpartum Support Important?
Photo: My mom, Liz, with my newborn baby, Shane, in January 2007 “All you need is one person, just one person who trusts and believes in you, and then you feel you can do anything.” Esther Wojcicki Here is a little story about how postpartum support was important for me. My first son was born…
Newborn Care Options: Postpartum Doulas
Newborn care options are often on the minds of parents all over the Tampa area. Buddha Belly isn’t just for birth, we offer a full range of options for bringing home baby! Postpartum Doulas are incredible sources of support and knowledge for both brand new and veteran parents. Bringing together knowledge of safety standards, real-world…
When Will My Period Return after Pregnancy?
Lovely bonus of pregnancy? No periods! Unfortunately, at some point postpartum, your period will return. But when? Breastfeeding suppresses menstruation at least for a while. For some mothers, there may be an absence of menstruation for weeks, months, and even years while still breastfeeding. Some mothers will even need to completely wean before they see…
Honoring Your Postpartum Body
We recently met with Brooke Tompkins of BirthFit South Tampa and learned all about their great programs. We asked Brooke to write a post for our readers regarding postpartum recovery and we are happy to share this with you now. – Christie You hear it all the time. “Get your pre-baby body back”… “Lose your…